An Adventurous Year, Act 12
Slow Days in Rustaze
I.
Madoka woke to an unfamiliar feeling brushing between her toes. Carpet? The softness bristled against her step as she moved her foot. Was she dead?
Panic jerked her out of her head. She felt her ears and did not feel any blood, but as she withdrew her hand she realized she was wearing a familiar frilled sleeve. A maid's dress? She has not worn a maid uniform since she left the palace and yet, she was wearing one right here and now. She felt like she was dreaming, or perhaps she was waking from a dream. The moonlight poured through some grand windows, but something seemed familiar about the hallway she was in.
She tentatively raised her hand again and pinched her cheek. Madoka regretted it instantly as the pain stung her. In her confusion, she bumped into a tray that was near her. One thing at a time, she scolded herself for making a ruckus when it was so obviously late at night. She felt a swirling dizziness pound inside of her, but it was subsiding quickly.
There was another thing on her mind: The soft image of Princess Elise's lips within the sunny and empty ballroom. Madoka clasped a hand over her own lips. She felt heat flush against her cheeks as she looked back at such a fond moment. She realized in the memory, Elise's lips were telling her something.
"Come to my chambers tonight," she told Madoka. "I will tell you everything."
On my way, Your Highness, Madoka snapped out of it. If this was a dream, so be it. She remembered she was escaping from a battle, but the finer details were also fading quickly. She took the tray of tea and quickly made her way down the hallway. She stopped before the ornate doors of Elise's room, and knocked.
"Come in," that sweet voice called quickly from behind it.
"Excuse me, Your Highness," Madoka entered with her head bowed. It felt like she had not greeted her princess properly in such a long time and joy filled her. The doors opened before her and she found herself in a familiar scene. The princess was standing in front of the open window, looking up at the twin moons. Her face was heavenly in their light.
"Ah, there you are," Princess Elise looked at her. "Woman of my dreams."
It was difficult not to crack under the pressure from her gaze, especially with tears staining her cheeks. Madoka folded her arms.
"You'll catch a cold if you keep that window open," she scolded the princess. Elise looked at the window and silently closed it, much to her surprise.
Something was wrong.
Golden light sparkled in the air, like small specks or star dust, and eventually linked together like chains. Madoka kept her eyes at this strange Princess, as the magic links fell upon Elise's head like a caparison. She always hated horses, the thought almost distracted her.
"What's wrong?" Princess Elise spoke in Royal, with a suspicious and commanding tone woven within her order. "I have a lot to say to you, now sit, sit!"
"As you command, Your Highness," Madoka moved the cart over, but stopped. "But first, I have a question."
The Princess looked at her with a hint of impatience. Madoka knew in her heart that she was under some kind of spell, or in a dream. A dream that Elise did not possess or tell her about. She also realized that Elise was long gone and her name was Audrey now.
"Just what are you? How dare you wear my princess's face!" Madoka chided the being before her. "Answer me!"
Princess Elise looked hurt, but suddenly began to transform before the maid. The Knotting magic that netted itself around the imposter shattered as her face burst into a beast's beak. Madoka screamed and turned to flee through the doors. Behind her, she cringed as she heard more flesh rip apart as it transformed, but to her abject horror the door she was fleeing towards turned into a view of the heavens, full of stars and faraway worlds.
"O, child, do not be afraid," the being behind her attempted to soothe her with an alien and warbled voice. "You are not ready to face Me yet, I am sorry."
She dared not turn around to face whatever kind god was speaking to her.
"I am no kind god," the creature told her. Madoka's throat was too swollen from screaming to groan at her situation. Of course, this thing can read her thoughts. "I am merely a servant of Him."
"I do not appreciate you wearing my precious friend's face," she told it. "She was all I had left in life!"
"You are alive and safe for now, Child of the Stars," The voice said behind her, almost in an attempt to console her. "They have ordained it."
The voice wrapped itself around her ears, with a soothing breath that filled her with comfort, but Madoka refused to give into it. The vastness of the stars threatened to disorient her. She could not afford to be distracted by its beguiling call. What can I do? She peered at the edge of the floor, which was once a doorway to her beloved Palace hallway.
"Who's 'they?'" Madoka asked the creature. She once again surrendered to the absurdity of her situation. If it wanted to kill her, it would have done so already. Strange, shifting noises writhed as it spoke, like a deep warbled chirp curling in a rooster's throat. It was moving to answer her.
"They, Madoka, are your parents," the creature's voice changed to a more alien tone, but she did not dare to look back at it. "The Stars who watch over you. The Ones in Tomorrow with your God-patron."
"My... parents?" Madoka tried to remember her parents. She recalled the dead villagers in the first town they came across escaping Fiara. Were those her parents? "They're... alive?"
"Hear me, O Child of the Stars, for Tomorrow is watching you with favor," the creature declared. Knotting magic danced along in the empty subspace into dusted clouds of eternal nebulae lights as it spoke. Madoka had never felt so small and lonely. "Divinity is your birthright. May your Stars shine brightly as they foretold."
"What does any of this mean?" Madoka begged it. She turned around finally, but instead of a fake Audrey or a strange being only a massive ball of light floated behind her. There was a metallic core residing within its luminous center, gleaming with ancient carvings and patterns. "Please, tell me!"
"Your parents are Stars, Child," the voice was soft, and the light's heat warmed her as if to comfort her like a hug.
"Watching over you. When you hear Her call for your eyes, look to the night sky and know that you are loved."
"I already have love!" Madoka pictured Audrey in her mind. "Now bring me back!"
The light twisted in color and shape, forming a new being before her. She realized she was floating, but the weightlessness did not seem to trouble her. The new being looked like a woman, but flickered again in and out of reality into different forms, all the while smiling softly. The void of stars seemed to be converging into it, until it was just the two of them.
"There, there, Madoka," the being soothed her. "You can never have enough love."
"Will I ever see my parents?" Madoka whispered.
"Soon," the being sighed. It took the form of a young boy, kicking his legs in his new body. Why did it bother misleading her in the first place? Was it testing her? He looked at her with a strangely saddened expression, as if he waited for a long time to see her. The boy looked familiar, but she assumed it was another one of this being's tricks. "I don't have enough time here with you, but I'm glad I finally met the real you."
"Who are you?" Madoka asked, but knew the being would not answer her.
"Someone who admires you a lot, Kate," the boy told her. "Now wake up!"
Who is Kate? Madoka's mind craved for answers, or a way out from thinking. Anything to get out of this hellish place. She felt like the void was constricting her throat.
"Madoka?" A voice called out to her. "Her vitals are healed, but she's not responding. At least her ears are fixed. What are you saying, you little freak? God, if only I knew more about medical aid..."
Green strands tangled over her darkened vision, but receded as quickly as she blinked. She was underground, judging by the thin tendrils of grass poking through the dirt above her.
"Mad?"
Something made a strange growling noise next to her, yet Madoka could understand it.
"Great Lord?"
"N-No nicknames," she wheezed. She was alive! She felt warm hands embrace her and more enthusiastic howling next to her. "Please, anything but that."
"You're alive!" Audrey sobbed into her shoulder. She pulled away. "My apologies, are you feeling hurt anywhere? Can you hear me?"
"I can hear you," Madoka let her eyes fall upon the woman she loved. "You are dirty."
"C-Come on man," Audrey groaned. "You're really heavy! If it weren't for this guy we would be dead!"
A little, ugly hairless creature peered from behind Audrey. It was the goblin!
"Grob?" She spoke to it. The little creature bowed before her. "You're alive!"
"Great Lord!" It spoke in awe. "You and you, me, alive! In Grob's for-now home!"
"We were running from that Fiara soldier," Madoka remembered. "What happened?"
Audrey looked nervous, but simply shrugged.
"Well," she sighed. "You busted your ears out, remember? You chopped most of the evil roots away for us, but ran out of magic strand thingies."
Madoka eyed her with suspicion. She was leaving details out. Or she did not know what transpired during the chaos.
"You're hiding something from me," Madoka pouted.
"Okay, okay! I'm not hiding things! I just don't even know where to begin..." Audrey had confusion in her eyes. It was as if she herself could not describe what happened.
"My own magic did not penetrate those black roots blocking the way and I did not want to explode the place with more firepower, but something intervened."
"Great Lord and Lord was saved by God!" Grob declared. "Praise the God of Tomorrows!"
"A Kind god?" Madoka breathed.
She focused her attention into Grob's thoughts. It was wrong of her to use her magic like this, but the goblin did not seem to mind or sense her magic. Madoka's mind became filled with images of disgusting black roots lashing towards her like long and slimy tongues. Then suddenly, they turned into shattering ashy shreds and burst apart. Floating, lambent purple strands ensorcelled the air and took shape into large needles as they pierced the soldier. The soldier was split into two by the needle's consecration, its "face" gnarled like wooden bark and twisted to the point where its features were gone, before bursting apart into white powder. The awestruck thoughts and worship resounded over the calamity from the eyes of the goblin, as it witnessed the god's power.
She began to laugh hysterically. Of course, that kind god saved her and its worshiper was a lowly goblin. She hated how laughably weak she felt, being the object of an all powerful being's attention without asking for its help. Or perhaps it was the first to answer any or all the prayers she had sent to the kind gods. Madoka broke down into a sobbing giggle at the realization that she finally reached one with her own lowly worship. Of course, she choked. It had to be the one who invaded her dreams. Her laughter caused her to cough, and she felt lightheaded.
"Madoka?" Audrey reached in her bag for another talisman, but Madoka stopped her. "We're underground still where Henry-- er, Glob's. Grob? We're in his hideout, so maybe oxygen is low, I guess. If we're breathing that stuff, that is."
"Praise to that God," Madoka breathed and sat back. Grob nodded enthusiastically. Audrey still looked confused, but the maid heard herself speaking Commoner. She turned to Audrey. "So what now?"
"Well," Audrey stared up at the grass roots and dirt in the cramped space they were in. "No doubt the Truth Guild girl is going to come back. We're going to have to bust out of this place. B-But only if this guy doesn't mind. He and I don't understand each other, but he's been friendly so..."
"Is there a way out of here?" Madoka asked Grob. Grob scratched its head and pounded the ground. It eventually shook its head. Despite this, Madoka could hear the thoughts of animals nearby and the wind. "Can we break out of here?"
Grob contemplated for a moment but nodded and hollered.
"Great Lord and you, go, go!" Grob pounded its chest with its tiny fists. "Grob will be leaving soon. Must find a way back in there."
"Back where?" Madoka asked it. Grob pointed to a small hole in the wall. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and she realized that the wall used to be a small entrance. Shattered white powder covered the grounds, similar to the calcified goblins in the tunnel. Grob pounded its chest once more, and made howling noises at Madoka.
She realized the goblin was showing her utmost reverence.
"What is it doing?" Audrey whispered to it.
"Grob must get back to labyrinth," it bowed. "Behind evil disturbance wall, lies my kin. I am... chosen."
"Chosen?"
"Yes, Great Lord's chosen," it boasted. "I gather my comrades, rebuild for Tomorrow."
Madoka had just met that God during their escape from the evil roots, but she still did not know what the God of Tomorrow truly was. At this point, she was too afraid to ask. That God seemed like a dangerous entity, far more sinister than the likes of Ceghinort.
For a supposed False God, it terrified Madoka instead of merely making her nervous. She was not sure why it decided to save her, but she sent a small prayer of gratitude to it anyways.
Remember, child, its voice boomed in her head as a reminder. Look up to the night sky and know that you are loved.
"Grob says he was chosen by... me," Madoka reported to Audrey. The princess looked shocked and her cheeks reddened. Was that jealousy? Of what? "It says there is a labyrinth entrance beyond that cracked wall in the temple."
"No way," Audrey muttered. "You're gonna get a goblin army? No fair, I want one!"
"Focus, Audrey," Madoka sighed. The goblin cooed and stamped the ground, a sign that it was going on a journey. "Be safe."
It nodded its slimy head and disappeared into the darkness beyond the hole in the wall.
"It worships a kind God of Tomorrow. It was the being that destroyed those roots. It spoke to me when we retreated from the soldier," she scanned the dirt above their heads. Knotting magic gathered in a weakened point with a soft, faint glow. It seemed perfect to break through. "Have you read about it?"
"Hmm... I don't think I've heard of it," Audrey contemplated for a moment, then shook her head. "Chosen by a god, huh? You are truly special, Madoka."
The princess's compliment embarrassed Madoka as she drew near her, but the maid pouted silently and crossed her arms.
"I mean it, Madoka. S-Sorry for embarrassing you," Audrey drew away. "Perhaps those Truth Guild people will know more on how this god operates. O-Only if you want that! Something tells me we're going to find out whether we want it or not."
Something was thumping on top of the dirt above them.
"Do you hear that?" Madoka interrupted her. The sounds of soft footprints were drawing closer from above ground. "They know where we are. Prepare yourself!"
"Madoka?" Audrey barely had time to respond before Madoka smashed through the dirt above them.
With aid from the golden tracery of magic chains, the ground shattered before her and allowed fresh air to flow down upon them. The muddy clumps splattered against the fallen trees, when Madoka noticed that the ashen remains of roots seemed to corrupt the land. Audrey spat out dirt and wiped herself off with wind magic, which Madoka began to assist her by patting off her backside.
"You're alive!" A voice spoke behind her in reverent Noble. It was the Truth Guild member, Arudite. "Both of you!"
"'Ello, poppet," Audrey spoke in an odd accent at the researcher. She was correct in sensing who they were.
Madoka turned around and dusted herself off. Arudite and her servant, Ilalune, were standing there with them in the devestated crater. This place used to be the entrance that those rude adventurers discovered, but now was left for nature to reclaim.
"You knew we were here?" Audrey asked the researcher, taken aback. Arudite abruptly blinked as if she struggled to comprehend what Madoka did, and shook dust off of her. "At least someone could."
"I could smell you," Ilalune scrunched her nose and glared at the maid. "Even beneath the ground you cannot hide your stench."
Madoka returned fire with a silent but fierce look back at Ilalune, though the Cherish servant was correct. They smelled awful and were dreadfully dirty. The two were locked in a duel of determination, despite not knowing how it even happened. The maid knew she could defeat Ilalune easily, however, she conceded the fact that the servant's dutiful nature and her scowls upon Arudite were on par with Madoka's own skills as a maid. The researcher cleared her throat, interrupting the silent glaring contest with noise of her own.
"We were afraid you two got buried after all that commotion," Arudite broke the silence. "But it looks like I was wrong."
"Well, we have finished our business here," Audrey peeked back and forth at the two rivaling servants. "Let's get back to the Guild Master, shall we?"
"Y-Yes, let's," Arudite looked confused but pointed in a direction. "The Guild Master sent us to search for you both. Let's not keep him waiting!"
At the mention of the Guild Master, both Audrey and Madoka gulped.
II.
"You did WHAT?"
Guild Master Luxgor sat in a stone bench created from Knotting magic and buried his temples in his palm. The Truth Guild researcher, Arudite was more than happy to give a full report of the exploits of Madoka and Audrey.
"It's true!" Arudite twirled. "She released the deadliest Wind magic I've ever seen, and cleaved the Ruined Forest trolls' heads right off!"
"That's right!" Audrey cheered. Why was she cheering for herself? Madoka shifted uncomfortably. "You tell him, Madoka."
"Yeah," Madoka spoke with a flat tone. Audrey danced around her triumphantly but was pinned in place by her maid.
"Ceghinort's blood, don't encourage her," Luxgor glared at the pair and ignored the Truth Guild researcher's reports. "We, no, I told you both to sit still while we wait for the Truth Guild's Arcane Division to properly scout the pollution in the town out—" He pointed at Audrey — "Specifically you. And you two just... walk in just like that!"
"Just like dat," Audrey repeated. She recieved a sharp glare from both Madoka and Luxgor.
"Is your head on straight?" He muttered. Audrey gulped, while Madoka found herself pondering over the same question. Luxgor directed his attention at the maid. "And YOU. You're actually fine."
"What? Nae waah!" Audrey blurted in disbelief that Madoka was off the hook, but before she could deliver a mischievous smirk of victory the Guild Master spoke again.
"Not, fine, as in less trouble! How are you alive? How did you survive in the Mist?" He asked, though his tone was quite demanding. "As far as my reports from Drezgor say, the mist suffocates those inside within minutes."
"Sir," Arudite interrupted him. "The mist had lifted, as stated in my writing here."
"Speaking of that," Luxgor flipped through the leaves of paper. "There was signs of a heavy concentration of monster magic within the City Hall. The sight of the desecrated place was disturbing."
"Oh, yes, quite," Arudite twisted a strand of her beautiful purple hair. "A severed ogre head surrounded by Cuckoo magic strands and piles upon piles of... dead settlers. I've called for the Night Agents to come and purify them."
Night Agents? Madoka guessed they must be similar to Night Operators.
"Purification?" Audrey asked. "Mist? Cuckoo magic? I swear I didn't study hard enough in the library for these..."
"Then you and I have much to discuss," Arudite lowered her glasses and eyed Audrey. The look was mischievous at best and seductive at worst in Madoka's view. "Come, come!"
She did not give Madoka room to keep her off of her princess before shoving her out. Audrey did not resist, and stayed the maid's wrath with a look as she followed Arudite out. Jealousy roared beneath her skin, but she was left alone with Luxgor in the tent.
"So," he sighed. "Feel free to explore the town at your own peril. The four you accompanied here are out there. I suggest you follow them to see how they explore. That means protect them, please. Speak to me tomorrow. Drag your master by the... nah, no ears. I'm sick of those already. Bring her along, too."
"For what?" Madoka asked, unable to keep the shyness from tipping her voice. Luxgor shuffled more pages beneath a tome and another odd board device that looked like the mana strand measuring device back at the Guild Hall.
"Your promotions, of course," he eyed her copper tag. Madoka had nearly forgotten about the trinket. "You will be Iron rank tomorrow."
After that, Madoka found herself outside. The camps seemed empty, so she figured the adventurers must be exploring the fallen settlement. She glanced at a larger tent near the gate. Its canvas was adorned with a large cross emblem upon it, with the Truth Guild researcher's own slave standing guard in front of it. Ilalune noticed her and gave her a glare for her troubles.
Audrey was in that tent with that dreadful woman, Madoka balled her fists, but knew she would have to get busy without her princess. She hated being alone! With a sigh, she walked past the troublesome slave and ignored her. It did not take long before she came across several familiar faces and a towering hunk of armor. One was doing odd stretches, but stopped to greet her.
"Yo," Eraziror nodded at her. "I heard your cruel master brought you into the town. How horrible! You didn't even bring me along!"
Madoka had nothing to offer besides a shrug. She realized she was staggeringly awkward, unsure how to respond to such a carefree adventurer. Kanys spoke for her with a punch to his shoulder.
"Shut it, Eraziror," she scolded him. She pointed to Madoka. "You survived in the mist? How? Was it your strange master's magic?"
Again, Madoka answered with a shrug.
Kanys pouted, but Eraziror knocked on Armor's plates to get their attention. The maid knew what he wanted to do, so she started to move towards the gate. The fallen headless ogre was gone and left only a large imprint in the mud where its body lay, but she dared not ask where it was. The moat of dead bodies stopped her momentarily, though several official Guild members were inspecting the pit.
"Into the spooky, reeking town we go!" Eraziror rushed past her. Kanys followed, rolling her eyes.
"Déjà vu," she mused but the thumps of Armor's boots came from behind her, prompting her to follow. At least this time, there were other adventurers with her. Several parties were clearing out some of the fallen buildings, while several cloaked figures were sealing off the large building they found the ritual in.
"Night Operators," Eraziror looked towards them. They were using strange movements, much like her own, weaving Knotting magic into the place. "They're cleaning the place for Night Agents to come and purify the dead when night falls."
"Night... Agents?" Madoka asked. "Truthfully, I don't know much about Night Operators either."
"Ah," Kanys looked down towards her own shadow. The Night Operator that resided within its umbral shape stirred.
"We worship the Moon Sisters," he explained. "The Two Lunar Mansions grant us some powers over the dead, and in our worship we stick to night's covering. We, the Night Operators, support our Sisters who come during the night."
Twin sisters, Madoka realized she must have heard of them. She remembered the tale of the Two Sisters from somewhere long ago during her Palace days. Perhaps the Head Maid told her those fairytales.
"D-Don't mess with a Night Agent!" Kanys blurted. "One day I will become one! Night Agents are kind, respected, healing those in the name of the Church."
"The dead need purity, from a pure soul," Shadow explained. "I train with Kanys in order to prepare her for her own purification."
Eraziror pursed his lips, as if he knew when she became a Night Agent he would lose her. If they found a fairy first, would she still want to pursue the religion that might take her away from him? The green scaled girl did not seem to notice his tension spike temporarily, and instead continued to observe the Night Operators' work on the destroyed ritual site. The eyeless head that was fused to the ground seemed to be gone. Madoka was relieved and thanked the kind gods no goblins or any other monster seemed to reside within the village.
She could even hear the thoughts of bird flocks above her, despite them avoiding this place before they arrived. Armor pointed uphill towards the fallen temple. It was the place she saw before, but did not have a chance to explore due to the tunnel. Madoka looked between the towers, only to find the cracked entrance completely buried by rubble.
"They probably mean to settle here after the Night Agents do their thing," Eraziror pointed to various sites below them being worked on by other adventurers. They trudged uphill after Armor, when the view of the fallen temple came up ahead. "Hopefully they add a bit more security, eh?"
"A Night Temple? It's huge!" Kanys suddenly blurted. She rushed in to the fallen temple. Eraziror and Armor followed. Madoka noticed shattered statues lay across the ground in an untidy manner, but she was obviously no mason. She realized a shadow on the ground was moving closer to her.
A surprise attack? She gripped her axe, but realized Shadow's Cherish ears rose from the dark spot. She wondered what kind of magic that was.
"This holy place held those who worship the twin Mansions, though it has been ruined by monsters," He beckoned to her inside the building. "However, one can learn a lot about Night's Twin Mansions and how they accept any worshippers of other gods. The moons watch over us all, so we too, must shepard them all and protect them with the Sister's lunar light."
Madoka wandered in after him. Kanys was correct. This place was vast, branching out in dark corridors into leaves of large rooms. Shadow guided her over into one large hall. Seven large and worn statues solemnly stood within the hall's chambers, undisturbed by the goblins. They were seemingly left untidy for a long time! Had she worked there, Madoka would have kept this place in top condition! She stifled a scoff when the Night Operator began to explain.
"These are seven Gods in the world, though there are many more," Shadow explained. He stopped before the first statue. A skeletal figure, torn and shattered off from the torso stood above them, imposing with four appendages that were not like arms along with thousands of spiny tendrils serving as legs. "This is the God of Language, the Domineering Fire King. The Truth Guild has done extensive research on them, and I shall not dishonor its Holiness by attempting to explain it."
Madoka wondered and admired the sculpture's' intricacies as she followed the man. These gods were fascinating to her, after all, she had been unknowingly sending her prayers and worship to each of them. He stopped before a bulbous sculpture of a babe wrapped within an odd, exposed cocoon-like membrane. It was difficult to tell what exactly the thing before her was due to the single coloring of the grey stone it was made from.
"This is the Child of Knotting Stars," Shadow turned to her. "Responsible for the holy Knotting magic that exists within you."
He nodded at her, expectantly. Madoka knew what he wanted her to do, so she offered the Child of Knotting Stars her sincere gratitude. The statue's babe, however, remained silent and did not respond. There was not even a trace of golden links forming near it. They moved on, past three platforms that were unrecognizable due to the damage, which both offered their prayers for forgiveness.
"The three Gods we walked past presumably are the Moth God Itfabel, the Ocean Goddess, Kesh'na and the Forest God of Sweets and Bitterness," Shadow bowed and sent his regards to each of them. "They are still among us today. Show your respect to them."
Madoka wondered what each were, but could assume they governed specific aspects of what their titles implied. Perhaps, she theorized, they were in control of everything about what their domains inferred. She hated thinking, yet, these kind gods were not giving her a headache to complain about. Perhaps Audrey's ramblings about her atheism had gotten to her finally, and infected her brain somehow and this conversation cleansed her temporarily. How could she deny their existence, even now?
Madoka found herself stopped before a large window, long broken into but still peaceful as the twin moons beamed down upon the empty altar before Shadow and her. Slowly, two woman sculptures materialized before them, seemingly locked into a dance between each other under the moonlight. Melancholy and sweetness filled her, as she observed the twin moon sculpture closely. She prayed to them and thanked them for their light, though they were locked in place, and wished them happiness.
Shadow stood silently, and prayed his own prayer to the Twin Moon Goddesses.
"The Twin Goddesses, who we worship," he gestured at his black robe. "A part of the Seven Mansions, but we will gather here for tonight, I imagine."
"Seven," Madoka mused. The thoughts of animals returning to the area must mean that whatever the dead curse that infected this town was being purified. "Are these kind gods a part of the Red Strings?"
"There are many things about the Prophecy of the Red Strings we do not know," Shadow stared at the last pedestal. He noticed Madoka's inquisitive expression and cleared his throat. "Sorry, child. It has been awhile since I've explained the kind gods to a brilliant mind such as yours."
"P-Please, no compliments," Madoka pleaded. "I am a simple ignorant slave."
"I do not believe you are simple, despite being a slave," Shadow eyed her, but moved on. "This pedestal's plaque says it belongs to the Nameless Goddess, an obscure being who has given birth to all of the races in the world."
"A-All of them," Madoka stammered. "Why would a powerful Goddess like that be forgotten or want no name?"
The gods work in mysterious ways, she remembered Audrey sarcastically saying that. Madoka would groan at the forbidden taboo of making fun of the kind gods, partly fear out of perhaps they were listening in on their conversation.
"The Nameless Goddess has been seen time and time again," Shadow bowed before the blank pedestal. "In each other's faces, our hands, our feet. We are Her, and she is Us. Or so some believe. The Sovos believe they are descendants of a Union between the Goddess and Ceghinort, while some of my kind believe in the Union between the Goddess and the long forgotten god of the Cherish-men."
"What do you believe about her?" Madoka asked after bowing to the pedestal. She hoped her prayers and worship would not be loud enough to disturb any of the kind gods, yet she thanked each one she's learned of today.
"I believe," Shadow leaned back in thought. "She is not a part of a Prophecy. She is the One who spoke it into Order."
"I see," Madoka trailed off. How could he not see her as ignorant? The more he explained things to her, the more questions she had. Luckily, she sensed familiar bickering coming from the entrance of the hall.
Eraziror and Kanys were pestering each other, yet the Sovos girl's cheeks were bright pink in contrast to her usual green scales.
"Shadow!" Kanys whined. "He says I'm not Night Agent material! Correct him!"
Eraziror huffed, but kept his watch for the darkness for someone. Armor's steps stomped heavily into the room, like a true apex predator proud of its presence, yet that was not what the Sovos was looking for.
"Say, Madoka," he started. "You don't happen to be hiding a devilish short haired Noble up your sleeves, right?"
"Who's asking?" Madoka got defensive.
"I-I mean no disrespect, but she IS quite the terror on her own," Eraziror assured her. "Though I am quite glad— happy even— that she is not in our company for now. But you should probably collect her before she detonates another town, hmm?"
With that remark, Madoka had reached her capacity for interacting with other people. She began to look for the exit this temple's wing of statues as panic welled within her. All she could think of is how she foolishly left her unattended with a strange woman from an even stranger Guild, and the Sovos man reminded her of that fact.
"I'll go get her," she hurriedly excused herself, despite Eraziror's protests. As she made her way, she immediately begin to feel something crawl upon her skin. The hallway ahead of her opened up into a cloister with exposed rafters and fallen pillars of stone. As she quickened her steps ahead, the ominous feeling still slicked her skin. She stopped in the middle of the ruins, sensing a familiar dark feeling pacing in the rafters above her.
Something, or someone, was exhibiting a dark killing intent towards her.
You think you can stop me, Madoka gritted her teeth and alternated her grip on each of her weapons. She had an axe and a sword at the ready. The formless assassin was darting quickly between the shattered remains of the ceiling. But I am not the same girl at the Estate.
As she remained still, the shadow's red glowing eyes were trained upon her. She listened towards the soft landings as it traversed, too light to detect and too quick for the Knotting strands to keep up with. Instead, the lightning chains simply faded and reconnected with reality each time the shadow jumped. Madoka realized she had another weapon, one that could counter this magical attack and will not leave a scar in her palm this time.
She placed a hand above her heart and closed her eyes. It was too dark for her to see, but the shooting sparks from her core containing the Divine Weapon within her blinded her. Still, Madoka growled as she waited for the creature's attack. Two feet landed on a wooden beam above her as she felt the dark gaze of the attacker upon her, followed by a third light patter. A tail? Madoka wondered at the new source of sound.
"Lord Leopride's shadow gave me a scar on my palm when he attacked me," Madoka growled under her breath. She had completely tracked her opponent's movements even without sight. "I doubt you can do the same."
Now! She plunged her hand deep into her core and withdrew the divine weapon into the form of a powerful sword, wreathed in golden light, just in time to block the attack. Madoka's grip did not falter as a shadowy blade connected with her guard. The force of the attack was not as heavy as Lord Leopride's techniques. She could not read the opponent before her, but she knew that she was much more powerful. The attacker retreated into the darkness after failing to connect their strike, surprise glinting off their eyes as they leapt back.
The assassin struck again with many successive strikes, and moved quicker this time. Madoka felt the attacks clash and leave divine sparks as their blades struck each other, but the deadly dance was locked in a cycle of trading rather than reaching a conclusion. She was not bothered by this, instead using it as training. Her divine weapon was guided by her movements, specifically with how she traced the Knotting magic with her arms like a flowing charge. She allowed it to feel natural, as if she was pushed by the electric strands but began to channel herself into more precise movements. Soon, Madoka figured she would be the one pushing the waves and not the other way around.
She realized that while the attacker was cloaked in black, their tail was not Lord Leopride's. It was green and reptilian. The person it was attached to was slender and quick, moving gracefully. Madoka grew bored, and quickly gathered herself in preparation for a counterattack. The assassin could not get through her defense-- she had not moved even once from her stance, parrying when the attacker tried to flank her from behind.
Madoka's hair rose as she sensed an incoming strike on her left, and dodged with a furious speed. The attacker was above her ever so slightly, and moved too slowly in Madoka's enhanced vision. She merely reached out and caught the assailant's leg. The force between her grip and the attacker's leg was not enough to move the stubborn maid. After struggling a bit, she managed to sieze her opponent by the neck and held them up.
"What are you?" She growled at the shadowy figure, though she did not intend on actually getting an answer. This creature or assassin was standing in the way to her princess! "Think you can best me!?"
She manifested the divine sword again and stabbed the shadow in the heart without hesitation. The assassin gurgled out black mist, before succumbing to Madoka's fatal blow. The figure collapsed as her sword burst into shining light as it vanished. She tore the cloak off the shadow figure's head, and began to lay the crumpled body down to identify it. As the twin moonlight dipped through the cloister's thin frame familiar green scales and hair stared back at her.
In the black, dissipating smoke, she discovered that the body of the assassin was Kanys.
III.
Madoka stood over the dead Kanys, her breathing ragged and her head woozy from the reveal. She had left them in the room with the statues. Whatever magical attack this was, she knew that the black, smoking creature before her was not the real Kanys. Like Lord Leopride's shadow she fought before, her heart was not moved when she slew it.
She checked herself. No blood on her hands, only the fast pounding of adrenaline fading in her head. The body completely vanished, seeping into the ground but only leaving the pathway untouched. She wondered if Kanys could employ such shadow magic, but remembered she was supposed to retrieve Audrey so she hurried quickly to the Temple's entrance.
It was dark outside, and Madoka could see campfires set up downhill. For a moment, as the wind caressed her face, she could see this place being peaceful. Footsteps approached her, though she was unafraid and simply sat down on the soft grass to enjoy the view.
"Hey," someone called her. The voice was Audrey's. Her footsteps softened and then she slowed to a halt next to the maid. Madoka saw the girl in the hood for what felt like the first time in a long time. Conflicting feelings filled her, though. She sat in silence, until Audrey spoke up again. "It's pretty. Like those whisks of smoke curlin' up from their fires, good news travels slowly."
"And bad news races like a shooting star," Madoka sighed. "Why do I feel like you have both?"
"Aw, that was poetic," Audrey leaned back. "You know me, though, I have lots to talk about. Specifically, on magic."
"Bad news," Madoka growled. "I don't care."
She had just fought off a magical illusion, and the last thing she wanted to do is talk about magic learned from a girl she was jealous of. Audrey looked confused, seemingly unaware of that fact.
"Don't be so cold," Audrey sighed. The portal manifested and the tent fell out. "Was the temple at least cool to explore in?"
"Not really," Madoka kept herself aloof, although she could not help herself from being rude. Audrey was setting a stake up when she stopped.
"What's up with you?" Audrey asked. How could she be unaware of her treatment? "Look, I know how much you hate magic, but I asked Arudite—"
Madoka scoffed at the very mention of the name.
"O-Oh," Audrey understood something, but Madoka simply sighed. "I see now."
"It hurts," she kicked a rock down the hill. "Being left alone like that."
"I'm sorry," Audrey finally broke the silence, and sat back down next to her. She was looking up at the night sky again. Madoka was reminded of the many freezing nights they spent huddled beneath the stars, and how she used to stare up there even back then. "Even if we're apart, we're still under the same sky. The same moons."
"It doesn't make it better," Madoka stated blankly, but she found herself looking up at the sky with her princess. In that moment, they were one viewing the stars twinkling ceaselessly above.
"I don't know how to explain this to you," Audrey bit her lip. A nervous habit she has had since they were children. "But you remember those things I said to you in the grotto?"
How could I forget? Madoka thought silently, but nodded.
"I think it's okay to be jealous," Audrey's words pierced right through her.
She saw her intentions the whole time. Secretly, her emotions played at her again and she did not want to admit that she was jealous. If she could groan, she would for being like this.
"Heh, I... I think I'm messed up, but, it makes me happy that you like me like that," Audrey chuckled to herself. "One day, you'll realize you're still standing and sitting next to me, staring up at the big ol' sky. One day, you'll feel like I do. Like, extremely nervous and jumpy because I am lucky enough to be chosen by you. How no one else compares to you. How—"
"Okay, okay," Madoka snapped. The words her princess weaved for her covered her face in warmth. She hoped the moonlight did not show how red her cheeks must be, but the jealousy did not seem to soften. "So what is it you two were talking about?"
"Well!" Audrey perked up. Madoka was impressed at how she switched to becoming completely happy from the tense and almost seductive mood a moment before. "Kept the details smaller, but I asked about Knotting magic."
Oh, great, Madoka suddenly became filled with exasperation.
"How you do that whole, 'rising to your full height' thing," Audrey recalled. "Knotting magic is interesting. I originally thought it was like earth magic, or alchemy, but it goes beyond that. It changes things on a fundamental scale, makes you literally grow bigger, changes the sound waves and language, and even metals to liquids or the other way around. I kept your hidden weapon a secret, because I don't even know how to describe such a thing..."
"It's good that you did," Madoka sighed, and omitted that she used it against the shadowy figure posing as Kanys.
She now felt embarrassed over the lengths the princess went through to discover her own source of power. When she went over the things she went through to become stronger, she realized she owed Audrey a lot, though neither one would admit it for different reasons.
"Then there was that... thing living below that saved us," Audrey whispered. "They call it the Cuckoo, but in my world, the cuckoo bird is an invasive bird that lays its eggs in other birds' nests. Perhaps, it does that with ideas, or thoughts in other people's minds to survive."
"Survive?" Madoka scoffed. "It's a God, Audrey."
"I know, I know, you don't like me diss tracking gods here," Audrey sighed. "There's a lot of things I would lore-dump upon you in terms of how these gods function, but I'm starting to believe that's why Arudite and I get along in heresy together. Who else but a witch princess and a scholar seeking the forbidden Truth would dabble in heretical shit, huh?"
"If it helps, Audrey," Madoka reassured her. "I know you mean well, but I'm afraid they are listening to us. In our conversations, they might get angry at your heresy. The Cuckoo goes by the God of Tomorrows, according to the goblins and those trolls..."
She trailed off, realizing that they were in Audrey's portal. The princess grunted. What were they to do about any of this information anyways?
"Speaking of this divine... weapon," Madoka plunged her hand in her heart and withdrew it as a brush. "It's bath time now."
"Wha—" Audrey protested. "Bath time here? In front of a church?"
"Yes, now sit and do your magic," Madoka dragged a broken stone pillar over and commanded her princess. Audrey sheepishly stripped and sat down.
"Who's the actual heretic here?" She muttered.
Luckily for them, no one seemed to be around them while Madoka worked, feeling everything on the girl's body. Her skin was perfect as all Royals were, and warm to the touch from the kind God Ares.
The portal still had fresh clothes from Lady Saze so she was happy they could bathe now, patting her shoulders down. Afterwards, Audrey was like a new person. The girl smiled mischievously.
"Your turn!" She cheered. Madoka felt ashamed of her own body, but stripped down and allowed Audrey's eager hands to clean her unworthiness. "Yep, God, you are beautiful."
Madoka said nothing in return, but shivered as she felt Audrey's warm fingers rub the dirt off of her with the mysterious and miraculous soap water. The crystal brush shattered into golden dust, then withdrew into her core. Her hair was too short to brush anyways. The fingers traced her burn scars and other imperfections, causing a tingling sensation to dance along her skin.
She clasped a hand when it got too close to places she did not want touched, and surprisingly the princess did not pursue those spots again. Audrey had to stand on her toes to reach her shoulders. And still, in the moonlight, the princess's nose and eyes were as cute as ever. She was the beautiful one, Madoka thought. Her jealousy was a sin to demand such things for herself. At last, the miracle water ceased and bathtime was over.
"Whew," Audrey sat back with the maid.
Despite the awkwardness, Madoka felt refreshed. Cleaning a hallway was one type of euphoric experience, but the cleansing of the self was heavenly. She had forgotten the feeling after their hellish adventuring.
"What do you think we'll have to do tomorrow, anyways?"
"We're going to see Guild Master Luxgor about promotions to iron rank," Madoka sighed. "Then travel to a place called Gladeban."
"Gladeban, eh?" Audrey yawned. "I suppose that guy said something about a lyre..."
She drifted off into sleep, slumping on Madoka's shoulder. Luckily for the maid, she was wide awake and the princess was light enough to place in the tent. She did not want to sleep after all, her dreams were usually filled with annoying visitors. Just this once, Madoka figured she could finally enter her idle mode without a care in the world.
Footsteps crunched in the gravel, dashing her plans of idling. An attack? Madoka drew her axe and prepared for the worst.
"Y-You!"
It was Kanys, holding her blade, slowly approaching Madoka. She looked ghastly, like she had faced a monster all alone as she trudged closer. Madoka readied herself and prepared to grab Knotting strands for a magical shield.
"You think you can get away with what you've done?" Her tone was accusatory and full of anger.
"If you want to live," Madoka threatened her. She was not prepared to kill anyone, let alone an ally that could be useful for Audrey later. "Back away. Now."
"How dare you say that! You attacked me first!" Kanys shrieked, but suddenly a dark cloudy mist cloaked her face. "Gah!"
Madoka quickly realized that the Sovos girl must have been attacked by a shadow creature as well, and moved to assist her with the ominous mist that veiled her face.
"Where's Shadow?" Madoka asked Kanys. "Can't he help you? Shadow?"
She asked Kanys's shadow, but she waved her dagger at her. The Night Operator was either asleep in there or not possessing her shadow at the time. How inconvenient! Madoka silently fumed, and easily dodged Kanys's pathetic swipes as she approached her.
"Stay back! You monster!" She was too preoccupied with the mist that blinded her to attack competently. Golden chains formed along Kanys's green hair, wrapping the mist like a bird cage. As soon as they formed that cage, Madoka knew what to do.
"My apologies, Kanys," Madoka asked for forgiveness as she ducked under the Sovos's swing and disarmed her.
The maid swiftly caught the girl in an iron grasp, built by years of experience from wrangling and successfully catching Audrey in the past. Kanys struggled within Madoka's grip, but could not even loosen a single finger. The weight of her knee on the Sovos's chest helped subdue her. The maid traced the magic strands that glided down to Kanys's face and shattered them. The golden magic that followed swirled, copying her movements and collided with the other strands in a small burst of sparks, like glass crashing against glass.
Hopefully that was enough to remove the shadowy infliction on Kanys.
The Sovos gasped as if she was drowning, but her eyes widened as she realized her situation. Madoka loosened her grip, but kept her knee on Kanys.
"Are you alright, now?" Madoka growled. "Or do you need some more jogging?"
"M-My head," Kanys seemed like she was subdued. "You! What happened?"
Madoka sensed her meager killing intent fade so she let her go and helped her up. She was amazed and thankful that Audrey slept through that small fight. Kanys felt her face and glared at the maid.
"You seemed to be attacked by one of those... shadow things," she informed her, finding the words she spoke unbelievable herself. "I was attacked by one heading out."
"Kind Gods," Kanys breathed, but narrowed her eyes as she found Madoka's words convincing. "It must be a test from the Twin Sisters. We fought off one that looked just like you, but here you are outside! They're resting in there... But I..."
"Well, I was outside taking a bath," Madoka dusted herself off. So much for keeping clean. Kanys inspected her with scrutiny, but her eyes eventually turned to jealousy.
"You aren't lying," she sighed as she scooped up the dagger she had. "It looks like the shadows here are tainted by evil. Though I wonder if it's because of the legendary beast's doing, I now wonder how you got yourself so clean! The river's too far from here near the border of the Circle."
Madoka shrugged and Kanys groaned.
"A legendary beast?" Madoka decided to ask instead.
"Yeah," Kanys sighed. "The beast is known as the Uracksheegul. Its tendrils haunt places of death. We don't know what it is or much about it, except that it lives within the Ruined Forest. Deep within it. The Night Agents will be here, searching this temple and purifying its darkness. I pray that we never find it."
The Uracksheegul, Madoka mused. The dark monster apparently must have been watching her for some time, if it was responsible for Lord Leopride's shadow creature that went after her. Perhaps it was one of the Underground Gods, or something worse. The idea of a large, unknown monster seemed to make something within Madoka to stir.
She recalled her very first fight with the monstrous bear covered in that parasite's tentacles, and her stomach moved with an odd sensation of hunger. Perhaps if they destroyed the Uracksheegul she could eat it, too. She scolded herself for letting her mind wander to that conclusion.
"What are you thinking?" Kanys eyed her with suspicion.
"None of your business," Madoka scoffed. "Now, if you don't mind, you can keep watch or sleep here if you want."
Kanys shivered, but she did not want to go back into the temple.
"Deal," she sighed, and rested against a fallen pillar. "I'm sleeping. Don't wake me."
As expected of an adventurer, Madoka observed. She could fall asleep anywhere possibly due to the peril they faced each day outside. She did not notice it at first, but suddenly she felt herself jerk as she lifted her head. Kanys was gone already, or maybe she was a part of her dreams.
Madoka felt like she merely blinked, but the sun was suddenly rising already. She cracked an eye open, feeling the onset of grogginess overwhelm her for a moment. It was too late now — she fell asleep again on guard duty. Now to check on the princess, she yawned and rose to grab Audrey from the tent when she heard shuffling inside of it.
"Audrey?" She lifted the canvas and groaned. The girl had wrapped herself in six layers of blankets that Madoka did not know existed inside the portal. She also was clutching the goblin's staff, without the ears attached to it. "Audrey."
"Knotting magic... Knotting... Why... Instead of three dimensions, in general relativity, the idea of Knotting magic is that it vibrates in five, no, SEVEN different dimensions."
"What are you even saying—"
The girl was slowly twisting herself tighter in her blanket while mumbling strange things, while Madoka worked on unraveling her out of the tent.
"Like notes on a music scale, I can get how the magic operates, how you operate the magic... The frequencies can overlap but still are quite inaccessive," Audrey tugged the blankets back over her when Madoka attempted to get the final pull out of her grip. "We humans must be so small to gods... The Strings can see further above it? It can see the magic as a point in its existence... But it can't tell its shape, what you do with it... what it can..."
She heard humming, as the princess's magic began to stir. Madoka immediately moved to shake the girl awake. The staff's head snapped, releasing a gust of erratic red strands in many whip-like tendrils lashing out. Audrey jolted awake, apparently from the sudden pain she inflicted upon herself.
"Ow!" She clutched her hand. The staff seemed to go inactive, but Audrey paid it no mind. "Wha— Who did that? Oh, good morning, my lovely lady of my dreams."
"Audrey," Madoka could tell this new day was not going to go easy on her already. "It's time to get up."
"Are you sure you don't wanna climb in this tight space with me?"
With that, Madoka yanked her blankets away and pulled the girl out of the tent.
"You were mumbling strange things in your sleep again," Madoka grumbled. "It's time to see Luxgor, now come."
"Me? Mumbling?" Audrey surprised her by not resisting her pull. "That doesn't sound like me."
"Yeah, yeah," Madoka sighed. "You also broke the goblin's staff."
Audrey grunted, while rubbing the sleep in her eyes. The two took the tent down and began their way downhill towards an important pavillion that seemed to be the Guild Master's temporary base, standing taller than the rest of them. Madoka wanted to mention the encounter with Kanys, but the Sovos girl was missing and the view of the town below had many sights to behold. The cliffside Tritorjan sat upon overlooked the Circle of the Labyrinth, but beyond the seemingly endless forest lay the peculiar ruins of many fallen statues. Madoka remembered seeing statues and ruins as tall as castles atop of the Wind King's mountain and realized they were a lot closer to them than she thought.
They walked by wagons and more bustling activity, the smell of the dead had seemed to be lessened since the night before. Madoka noticed the Knotting magic mingling with the air's currents. They seemed to be affecting the scent. There were many people other than just adventurers walking the streets, cleaning the walls and clearing ruined debris out. The house where the Night Operators were working on was completely sealed off by stone and the rundown town was abuzz with adventurers getting ready for other commissions. She wondered if this place truly was going to be retaken, and was amazed at how efficient the Sovos were. The pavilion loomed above them like a dark cloud as they approached it, although Madoka did not know why she felt that way.
The Spring's cold escaped out of the tent as the flaps closed. Luxgor was awaiting them behind his desk, with stacks of paper piled on top of it. Several Guild Ladies were in there with him, including Brown Hair, standing silently and respectfully as the girls entered. Madoka wondered how long they were sleeping, since these new arrangements seemed to be made rapidly.
"Ah, you two," Luxgor looked away from them at the young adventurers, evidently working on them for quite some time. "Just the people I've been looking for."
"U-Us?" Audrey stammered. "What for, mister?"
"Your tags, Audrey and Madoka," he growled. "Hand them over."
Madoka quickly withdrew hers from her neck, and Audrey did the same. The Guild Master snatched them and she noticed Knotting magic strands were quickly wrapping around them. Audrey gasped as they floated in midair, apparently able to see the magic. They burst with golden light, while Luxgor made a series of quick hand movements around them, eventually forming into iron tags.
He snatched them out the air and threw them at the girls.
"Well, so much for the special occasion," Audrey caught the gleaming tag. The golden strands raced off Madoka's, a residue of magic born from its transformed state. "Will this magic wear off? How does Knotting magic even work?"
"Congratulations!" Brown Hair clapped, but her voice remained soft despite the cheerfulness.
Luxgor chuckled, but did not answer her question. Instead, he moved the stacks of paper out the way and revealed a map sprawled out beneath the messy contents. Audrey immediately leaned in above it. It was unclear what strategies were going on in the princess's mind, but Madoka remained silent as she put her tag back on.
"Here is Gladeban, your next area of interest," Luxgor pointed at a clearing near what Madoka presumed was a river. While she could not read the symbols and labels on the map, she could easily tell where they were as opposed to Audrey's hastily scrawled out maps. "Livertorjan will welcome you, but there is more work to be done in Gladeban. I suggest you stop by and resupply before heading to Gladeban."
"Why not head over there immediately?" Audrey asked. She was scanning the map meticulously, but Madoka doubted she could memorize it. Luxgor hesitated, while the Guild Ladies looked away nervously.
"Well, to begin with, Lady Saze has a delivery for you," he pointed at Madoka.
"M-Me?" She stammered.
"Yes. Koj also wishes to speak with you, Madoka. As for those four who you shadowed. They have given you recommendations for Iron Rank, which is why I have taken the liberty in promoting you," he referred to Eraziror's party. "They are preparing to resupply in Livertorjan. You best give them your thanks."
Luxgor nodded at Audrey. Madoka could read his true intentions. His suggestion was more of an order to escort the four to Gladeban. The forest was dangerous, especially with the tremors and those black roots now infecting the underground beneath its massive trees. Madoka expected to hear Audrey complain, but instead the girl nodded in agreement.
"Then, we'll do that, sir," Madoka spoke for her. She was more nervous about Lady Saze's request to see them.
"What will we need to do in Gladeban?" Audrey asked.
"Sell your monster parts to them. Also, the Guild Master wishes to meet you," Luxgor spoke. He moved quickly and hid a shudder at the mention of the Guild Master of Gladeban, but Madoka could sense whoever they were made him nervous. "Seek out Drezgor, the Platinum Adventurer, for work if you don't find the Guild Master."
"Okay, sir," Audrey saluted. Her unserious tone elicited a groan from Luxgor , but he dismissed them with a salute. As they moved to leave, Madoka noticed the Guild Ladies began to resume their work quickly.
This Guild truly moved at an efficient pace. The girls back at the Estate did their duties slowly, but at the Palace Madoka recalled moving at breakneck speeds to clean hall after hall. Audrey fidgeted with her tag between her fingers, still testing it to see if the Knotting magic would somehow reverse until the view of Armor's towering presence greeted them at the entrance of Tritorjan.
"Yo," Eraziror snapped her out of her thoughts. "I see that tag! You're our level now, ha! Or would be!"
"C-Congratulations," Kanys looked startled at the sight of Madoka, but looked away from her.
"Eheh, thank you," Audrey tucked the tag in her bag sheepishly. "It's no big deal, really."
"No big deal?" Eraziror laughed. "Kid, Iron Rank is a big deal when you're that young! Y-You are young, right? Not some kind of ancient dragon, right?"
"Dragon?" Audrey spat. "Do I look like one?"
"No, you don't," Kanys sighed. Madoka sighed along with her. "The fact that she's sighing with me makes me nervous. Like you've asked that before."
"So how do we become Silver ranked?" Madoka asked Eraziror.
"Work," he shrugged. "Cooperate with the other Guilds, monster subjugations, get twenty five of those notches and then finally!—" He pulled out his tag, which gleamed with silver and no longer had its many original notches— "There's your silver!"
"Hey, shiny!" Audrey's eyes gleamed with awe and wonder. Eraziror looked proud, while Kanys pulled hers out. They apparently have ascended to Silver rank.
"And before we take off," Eraziror looked at Madoka. "You gave us a run for our copper last night."
"My apologies," Madoka bowed, but knew it was not her fault. Eraziror laughed, while Audrey looked confused. "I hope you all are alright."
"It's all good, the illusionary you gave us a good challenge," he chuckled. "Kanys chased after you in the night, then returned and filled us in on the details."
Madoka wondered how weak the fake illusory clone of her was, but also thanked the kind gods that it was defeated. They found themselves on the trail again, walking beneath those disgusting strings of severed ears. Eraziror hummed along, while Armor's heavy boots pounded rhythmically along the grass. Madoka sensed Kanys's apprehension around the princess and her, but did not blame her. The Sovos girl's shadow shuddered suddenly, making her realize the Night Operator within was about to emerge or speak.
"Have you heard of the Seven Wonders, Madoka?" He asked as they took a short rest, but did not take form outside of Kanys's shadow.
"No," Madoka responded. She realized that Livertorjan must be quite a distance away, as they have hiked for a few hours now.
"Oh, those are a thing in this— I mean I love wonders!" Audrey chirped.
"Well, the Seven Wonders are mysterious, but they are not a part of the prophecy," Shadow explained. Kanys stretched, while Eraziror emptied dirt out of his boots. Armor kept watch, but remained silent as usual.
"Red Strings," Audrey mused. "What are they, Mister Lore Man?"
"They're the pinnacle sights of all Adventurers across the country," Shadow ignored her odd nickname for him. His voice held a hint of excitement as he described the wonders. "Just seeing them is said to fill the beholder with power."
"The First Wonder: The Damned Ocean's Mouth. Kesh'na, the Ocean Goddess is said to wake every one thousand years, yawning as she does. When she does, she swallows the entire ocean whole and makes a massive maelstrom, revealing the abyss and her Godly Home."
"Is the ocean really called that?" Audrey muttered incredulously. "That's seriously metal."
"The Second Wonder: The Labyrinth below our feet is said to be half of the home of the Celestials, that has fallen below the ground. It is said to extend across all of the world but obviously we cannot explore it all because of its untold dangers. We do not know how the half fell long ago, but it explains why the Labyrinth is so dangerous and why many adventurers make their homes exploring the place's abyss."
Shadow awaited Audrey to say something, but she did not. Madoka's head was swimming in the information, but she remained silent.
"The Third Wonder: The Spirit Tree within the Halfring Country. Legends say, the tree is hidden by the Būthos. The ancient race has grown alongside the tree and takes refuge within its shadow in harmony. Now the Būthos show up every half a century, selling things before sailing back to Halfring."
"E-Elves," Audrey whispered. "So they exist..."
"Shh," Madoka scolded her. She was afraid that Audrey might reveal her otherworldly status. Shadow laughed, and continued. He seemed to not draw that conclusion, which eased Madoka's nerves.
"The Fourth Wonder: The Eye of the Celestial. Faraway, north of Fiara, is a continent being ravaged by a massive Celestial being, sent by the Gods themselves. It guards the Eye of the Celestial, a gateway to their holy home."
"The Fifth Wonder: The Fount of Youth. It is a Leyline that affects a small, hidden lake in Crosstella. Its wild magic is closely protected by Fairies, and said to grant immortality."
"It's the treasure we seek!" Eraziror spoke in reverence to the goal, his usual joking voice grave and serious. "The Fairies are the key to our ascension!"
The adventurer sat back in silence for awhile, and even Audrey did not dare to press for further details on the subject of their goal. Perhaps, it surpassed even Kanys's goal of becoming a Night Agent. Madoka shifted awkwardly, but Shadow eventually emerged and sat down on a log with a smile. The gentleness of the man made Madoka take back her suspicion on such a lofty goal. It was not her right to judge such a thing.
"What is a Leyline?" Audrey asked.
"Wild magic, where the strands all interweave and become tangled," Kanys closed her hands in a ball, interlocking her fingers. Madoka supposed the visual image helped, since her Knotting magic did not usually become entangled like that. "It creates... dangerous effects. Don't look like that! You could get killed going into a Leyline! Unless that's what you want!"
She groaned as Audrey shrugged and looked at Madoka in protest.
"Dangerous effects suits her," Madoka sighed, and offered Kanys her own shrug. The Sovos girl gawked. Eraziror clapped.
"Let's roll out!" He shouted at no one in particular. "Livertorjan's a few hours away!"
Madoka wondered how he knew, but they began their march. Shadow sank back into the darkness, making her slightly jealous at his ability to avoid hiking. Audrey broke the silence again by clearing her throat, as if she was testing if the shadow magic worked.
"So what's the last two Wonders?" She asked cheerfully.
"Ah, I forgot while we were wrapped up," Shadow chuckled. "The Sixth Wonder: The Thing Below. Several Star Platinum Adventurers, the ultimate and most powerful ranked adventurers, were traveling in the most dangerous mountain of all. It is known as the Hall of the Frost Queen. They discovered a massive, dangerous creature frozen within its depths. Its presence was so strong, that one of them died by looking at it."
"Really," Madoka glared at her princess. Audrey's jaw was agape, and eventually the disbelief settled upon the pair at the sudden realization that they actually have already seen the Sixth Wonder. She tried to save face by denying it existed. "No way that is such a thing..."
"It's one of many such creatures," Shadow sounded amused at their fake disbelief. Madoka was glad that he believed her acting, or hoped that he did not see through her. "There have been reports of such massive creatures all around the continent. They all have one thing in common: Each seemed to be frozen in ice and are long dead."
Madoka shuddered, but recalled her conversation with Queen Pelé. The kind god Ares sent his warriors out to try and take over this world. The maid clutched her head in frustration. She hated thinking! Why was she doing it? Audrey moved to help her with a talisman, but Madoka stopped her.
"And finally, the Seventh Wonder: The Nexus Gate."
"Nexus gate?" Audrey asked, unable to hide her surprise. It was like she already knew what that was, which in turn, surprised Madoka. Did her world have such a thing?
"No one knows how the translation for the name came upon them, not even those who commune with the God of the Language," Shadow explained. "It is a massive white ring, bigger than a mountain, floating in the sky, said to appear over the Arcadian Valley. The valley is nestled between the base of the Halls of the Wind King and the Frost Queen. It seems to be a myth, since those who have seen it have gone mad. I believe it is real, for even if it disappears all witnesses report the same thing after they saw it: It warps the world itself, like a flickering of candle light before it disappears from the wick of the world."
This time, it was Madoka's jaw that dropped. They have seen it hovering above the world gloriously. However, she remembered Audrey casting that horrible fire magic spell and destroying the mountainside. She glared at Audrey and scoffed.
"What are you mad at me for?" Audrey groaned.
"The Arcadian Valley is full of deadly monsters," Eraziror told them. "Each are covered in darkness, most notably is a massive and fearsome bear named Roōon. It seemed to make its home there, using dangerous magic to send adventurers packin'! Between you and the bear, you'd be its meal in seconds!"
"It had a name?!" Audrey squeaked, but Madoka covered her mouth.
"Ha! Good joke," Eraziror luckily did not suspect Audrey or Madoka to be involved with such a bear. Her stomach growled, from remembering how delicious the bear tasted. "Enough myths and chatter! There!"
He pointed as they came upon the view of a familiar field of flowers. Beyond the rolling beautiful grounds was the familiar walls of the first city they have visited in Rustaze. At least, Madoka sighed. It was not burned down or reeking of death.
"Behold sweet Livertorjan!" Eraziror twirled. Kanys applaused while Armor grunted. "Hark! For our arrival is near!"